“What Jesus Demands from the World” -Demand #3: Come to Me

A continuing series reflecting on the book: “What Jesus Demands from the World”, By John Piper (Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books, 2006, 400 pgs.)

Jesus says to the world: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” -Matt. 11:28-30.

1. It is the world that is really the burden, Jesus offers to lift the burdens off of those who come to him. He offers joy and the abundant life:

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” -John 15:11.

Jesus says: “…come to me and drink” (John 7:37). The whole world is searching for some kind of satisfaction, for fulfillment and purpose in life. Coming to Jesus means that you get it all and everlasting life:

“Whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

“I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

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2. Coming to Jesus is the first step, however not everyone wants to come. Jesus looked over Jerusalem and lamented:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, …How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Matt. 23:37).

He said to some religious leaders confronting him one day:

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40).

3. Why don’t people come to Jesus? One answer is that they “refuse to come“. It is a matter of free choice. However, those who come to Jesus, come because God the Father himself has drawn them to his Son:

“No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65).

It is the Father who opens the eyes of those of us who are spiritually blind and encourages us to come to his Son. Praise God for his mercy and his Spirit which brings us to the water and gives us everything we need in this life and in the life to come, through his Son Jesus. Thank you Father for helping us to come to your Son.